Despite Straight Lines
# Despite Straight Lines

Professional ratings :

| Review scores ||
| - | - |
| Source | Rating |
| Smash Hits | |

Despite Straight Lines is the only studio album by British singer-songwriter Marilyn, released in 1985.

## Overview

Although Marilyn had scored three top 40 hits throughout the 1983–84 period, his debut album was not released until mid-1985, 18 months after his biggest hit "Calling Your Name" was a top 10 hit. Possibly due to a loss of momentum, the album only charted in Australia, and subsequent singles taken from it were also unsuccessful.

The album was reissued on CD in 2008 as Despite Straight Lines: The Very Best of Marilyn, by Cherry Pop (a division of Cherry Red Records). The reissue includes several bonus tracks, consisting of B-sides and alternative versions, though it excludes the single "Pray for That Sunshine".

## Track listing

* "Calling Your Name" (Marilyn, Paul Caplin) – 4:06
* "Mountain to the Ocean" (Roger Jackson) – 3:46
* "Surrender to Your Love" (Marilyn) – 4:04
* "Pray for That Sunshine" (Marilyn) – 4:00
* "Third Eye" (Marilyn) – 3:24
* "Baby U Left Me (In the Cold)" (Marilyn) – 3:51
* "You Don't Love Me" (Marilyn) – 3:24
* "Give It Up" (Eric Robinson) – 3:58
* "Wear It Out" (Marilyn, Eric Robinson) –2:17
* "Cry and Be Free" (Marilyn) – 3:34

CD re-issue (bonus tracks)

* "Calling Your Name" (Midnight Party Mix) (Marilyn, Paul Caplin) – 4:42
* "Move Together" (Marilyn) – 3:36
* "Calling Your Name" (Extended Version) (Marilyn, Paul Caplin) – 6:54
* "Running" (Marilyn) – 3:06
* "Cry and Be Free" (Gospel) (Marilyn) – 5:43
* "Cry and Be Free" (Streisand Style) (Marilyn) – 5:19
* "Raining Again" (Dub Version) (Marilyn) – 7:08
* "Baby U Left Me (In the Cold)" (Extended Version) (Marilyn) – 7:08

## Personnel

### Producers

* Alan Winstanley (tracks 1, 3, 6, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15)
* Clive Langer (tracks 1, 3, 6, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15)
* Don Was (tracks 2, 5, 17)
* Eric Robinson (tracks 4, 7, 8)
* Roger Jackson (tracks 11, 13, 16)
* Julian Mendelsohn - mixing (tracks 8, 9)
* Clare Muller - photography
* Bobby Rae, Carol "Sugar Lips" Hall, Claudia Fontaine, Eric Robinson, Sweet Pea "Python" Atkinson - backing vocals

## Charts

Chart performance for Despite Straight Lines :

| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
| - | - |
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) | 73 |
